Please, admit it. We want Affiliate Sales.
Back in 2014, when I was promoting an online marketing toolkit on my personal blog, I wasn’t getting affiliate sales—I spend first four weeks on creating content, sharing it on social media and telling people about it.
Nothing happened…
I decided that I’m not going to spend next four weeks that way. Instead, I will buy this product, use it personally and then I’ll start sharing my experience with my readers.
And, it worked.
Would you be surprised if simple things improve your conversion rate?
Who doesn’t like to make more money?
Bloggers and Webmasters struggle to improve their conversion rate. You won’t find a problogger who doesn’t care to convert the readers into customers.
People know things. Typical tips to improve the conversion rate is everywhere.
Do you want to keep reading those tips about Affiliate Marketing or you want something different that really works?
Obviously, you would go for more sound tips that help you to make a difference.
Conversion rate is likely to depend on the value of delivery. People won’t buy something you promote or sell unless they trust you.
Do you think your blog’s design, content-body, sidebar and ad placement matter?
Wordstream published a post on Conversion rate and explained the importance of conversion rate through A/B Testing process.
credit: wordstream.com
According to this case study, the slight changes in the spacing, font, image and button colors resulted in 5% increase in conversion rate.
Robert Glazer, the founder of Acceleration Partners, highlighted some of the mistakes in Affiliate Marketing and described some key elements that make any Affiliate Marketing Program successful.
It has been seen again and again that affiliate marketing success never comes at once—It’s a process which takes the time to deliver, whereas passion, learning and patience are the keys to success.
I’ve got some different ideas. I don’t care that many bloggers find it slow, long-term and boring…
Do you know why?
Because these ways are little creative and out-of-the-box. Ordinary things are always everywhere. Embrace the uniqueness and try to do something awesome.
Take a look at the 6 unique ways to improve the conversion rate:
1. Describe with Examples
Nobody can beat you in the explanation and readers engagement if you follow the footsteps of great content marketers like Neil Patel, Darren Rowse and Brian Dean.
What do they do?
They add up a bunch of examples in their content to explain the topic, and readers come to know the core value of the message. Examples are quite awesome, because they make a string between the content and reader.
The reader finds the further explanation as a gift when he/she sees further explanation of someone’s point. Do you remember your school teachers who used to tell you to add examples in your answer… because they wanted to make sure that you know the topic and understand the whole context of the story.
As far as conversion rate in affiliate marketing is concerned, it helps us to describe the point quite amazingly, that will increase the chances of visitors’ conversion into paying customers.
Neil Patel always adds so many screenshots and images with the reference of his point/topic — It makes people understand what exactly the point is.
Another benefit of adding examples in the content is the size of content. Long-sized content tends to perform well as compared to short-sized content with Search Engines and SEO perspectives.
2. Create a Case Study
It seems little ordinary. You might be thinking that a how case study is going to improve the conversion rate!
Well, when you do some research and try to share with people for their information and knowledge, what you do is, you complete the hard part and provide the cream for others to consume, and they just love it.
Making case studies help us to share our work and result to the audience, and they like to analyze the strategies and results involved in the whole process.
Marketers often adopt this customer engagement strategy, once they complete their research or testing (with certain products/services/strategies), they go for making a case study and share their findings/lessons.
One of the benefits of this strategy is, you help people to understand certain procedures and they get the proof of something you claim to know.
One of my friends Ali Ahmad launched his Android Game. It’s an arcade game. It’s called Brick Crush. Ali told me that this game is just launched to create a case study for his company. He started monetizing the game and hopefully in next few weeks, he would be able to put up some great stats for the prospects and clients.
Haven’t seen SEO Bloggers and Content Marketing Experts always show their past experience in their articles?
Some of the top bloggers make ‘blog post titles’ to show that how they did achieve that thing. For example, take a look at this screenshot from Brian Dean’s blog post:
3. Try Similar Affiliates
One of the Affiliate Marketing top strategies I’ve seen and even implemented is the usage of similar Affiliate Products—When you compare or show two options to the readers, they are likely to find out what’s best for you, probably they open both options to find out the price, features and specifications…
Once they begin the process, they are in the sales funnel, now it’s your work quality, engagement and guidance that help them to make a buying decision.
For instance, I recently wrote an article, where I had to give to options for Online Website Builders, so I did that like this:
It’s an engagement strategy which is quite better than just referring a single option. Plus, there is also an important string of this strategy is, you can sell similar or relevant products through your Affiliate Marketing Campaign on your blog e.g. if you are promoting an Online Tutoring Service like StudentLance, then you might want to promote Udemy Online Courses as well—both products come in the education niche, whereas both need quite similar audience.
All you will need to work on Education, Studies and Courses, and you’ll get to see the results from both similar Affiliate Programs.
4. Personal Experience
Probably, nothing would beat the personal experience. When you buy something, try it, find it good and then promote it— You get a solid reason to promote it, and it clearly portrays that you liked the product, that’s why you’re recommending to others.
Conversion rate optimization experts believe that personal experience add so much value to the sales and conversion rate.
For instance, When I started promoting Wishpond, I started using the paid edition and got amazed with the products in the account.
When you show up something like to use personally, people feel safe with you and they like to buy through your reference.
In affiliate marketing, the trust is a huge factor to influence on your money making strategy.
5.Use Publishing Channel
You have to utilize every possible source which will give your mission a go. In content marketing, you should leave no stone unturned.
LinkedIn provides us a great opportunity. It’s LinkedIn Pulse (formerly Pulse). It used to be a content aggregator app, later on Professional networking website LinkedIn purchased this app and turned it into a publishing platform for LinkedIn.
Use LinkedIn Pulse to publish some fresh content regarding your topic (niche) — It won’t hurt if you link your blog there where necessary or use the byline for the reference of your blog.
Similarly, you can use WordPress or Tumblr for creating and publishing content. They are kind of social content publishing platforms, whatever you publish will be available on internet to access among the people connected with you on those social platforms, but of course based on interest or direct following e.g. Tumblr supports hashtags and WordPress uses topics (categories) to identify the content.
It’s about extending the reach. Make your sleeves longer than you already have.
6. Build Relevant Audience
One of the secrets to improve your conversion rate is hanging out with the relevant audience. First thing first, how to find the perfect place to get started.
Use Quora for finding the relevant, interested and like-minded people. On Quora, most people are professionals, but it isn’t necessarily true that only professionals use Quora. Everyone uses this social Q&A website.
The question is, how can you use it for audience building?
Well, rules are pretty much similar to other social networks.
Join, find, engage, meet, greet, ask, answer and keep doing that.
Quora is all about great questions and trustworthy answers but on the right place. Follow the topics of your relevant market, just like you follow hashtags on Twitter, then ask questions and answer existing questions, follow relevant people, upvote great answers and be social.
Conclusion
Affiliate Marketing Success hangs with the right audience. It means you have to keep the space digging and keep finding the relevant people through various means—When you create content or somehow attract people with something in hand (like content, infographic, answer), you just get the leverage to interact with others.
Use that leverage to build relationships and finding the right audience.
When you find those people, hold tight. Win their hearts and trust with your help, skillfulness and sincerity, then go again for finding new ones to make the tribe bigger.
About Hassaan Khan
Hassaan Khan is a Blogger and Content Creator. He has assisted Companies from Switzerland, Canada, China, UAE and Pakistan. He loves his dog ‘Milo’. He likes to write his personal blog. Follow him on Twitter.
Hi Jane,
Thank you for sharing Hassaan’s post and introducing us to him. What a great share.
Hey Hassaan, nice to meet you and what great examples you gave. You are so right about affiliate marketing and it’s not easy to just promote products anymore. I have a friend that share the more detailed reviews because he’s bought and used the product. They are so good he makes great money from those affiliate sales because he really does want to show you all the great stuff about it but also what’s not so great.
I think giving them two options is very smart as well plus I do love case studies. I mean that’s someone else who has used the product and gotten great results, how can that not be impressive. Most people are searching for that particular product anyway and that definitely sparks much more interest.
I do love the audience building method as well. I haven’t had much luck though myself on Quora but I know so many people like that platform.
Thanks for this information and I hope you both have a really awesome rest of your week.
~Adrienne
Hassaan Khan says
Adrienne,
Thank you so much for reading my article. I’m happy that you found it interesting and helpful. I shared what exactly I believe in. I love to be original, helpful and caring.
So, we can’t just keep on saying that and do nothing. I guess I tried a little bit to prove that. Readers are great and very genuine, if they like something, they share with friends.
I’m exploring Affiliate Marketing and still learning how to do it the right way.
Hey Adrienne,
Thanks for stopping by dear. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Product reviews are everywhere.
In order to make affiliate sales, the trust factor is important and people just don’t trust any review (especially I’m very careful in trusting a review with affiliate links in general) - I just make sure if the review is out of experience or not before trusting it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts dear
Have a great week!
Cheers,
Jane.
Hey Hassan,
Great list of ways of improving conversion rates. I actually use these tips to generate more traffic to my blog and it dies make since to use the same tactics to improve affiliate conversions.
I particularly like numbers 1,2 and 4. You can’t go wrong with examples. It does give your target market a sense of direction when it comes to what you promote . Case studies give your market the reasons why they should purchase your product and how it would benefit them. Personal experience shows that you’re just not all talk, but you actually use the product yourself and it instills confidence!
Thanks for sharing Hassan and I hope you have a great week!
Hassaan Khan says
Sherman,
Thanks for reading my post and taking some time out to comment here. I really appreciate that.
The point is, promoting the product without using it, looks little odd. You’d find yourself in a different confidence when you’re promoting something you enjoying using it while sitting in your office or home.
Thanks for sharing, that’s a lovey tips to cast study to explain about how to increase more affiliate sales. You said that in order to get more sales of affiliate products, we have to increase more conversion rate. Sure, I’m absolutely accepted the reason.
Actually, you no need high classified traffic, but you need a conversion traffic. It means that you need people who actual read your blog content, and believe on what your said. It look like you recommended me to build the brand reputation, right..?
I was really similar to Adrienne, I love the method to build network and relationship with audience because I made my first affiliate on Facebook. A guy who bought my product is in my networking.
Also, I agree what you mention. If you want to improve more affiliate sales, you have to add personal experience because readers will more trust on you.
Thanks for sharing, I really learnt a lot from your blog post..
Hassaan Khan says
Kimsea,
Thanks for reading and commenting here. I’m sure my blog post helped you somehow. I believe it’s a process, we experiment things, we find hints and test them… that’s how we grow in Blogging and Internet Marketing.
PR, Networking and Social Communication are incredibly important for all of us.
Google’s new page algorithm has afflicted abounding bloggers mind. My blog aswell got down. Now i am alive on my blog to advance its page look. And my ads are beneath than before. Hope Google will adulation it.
Hey Jane,
Thanks for having Hassaan on here. Great post, Hassaan.
Your point about case studies really stuck with me because that’s what I like to write about these days. I’ve come to learn that people rather have facts than opinions and case studies provide that.
I never had the opportunity to write on LinkedIn Pulse yet, mainly because I just started getting involved with LinkedIn. But that’s something I would seriously consider for the future.
Great stuff.
- Andrew
Hey Andrew,
Hassaan really had my attention with this post. When I read it for the first time I was truly impressed and he has done a great job in illustrate his points with examples.
LinkedIn Pulse is something I have been eyeing on recently. Have to get my feet over there
THanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
Have a great week.
Cheers,
Jane.
Hassaan Khan says
Andrew,
Thanks for your analysis and views on my post. I hope LinkedIn will open new opportunities for you.
Bonnie Gean says
Hi Hassaan & Jane,
I don’t have a problem making affiliate sales when I take the approach of a show and tell. It works every time!
You offer a ton of great advice, but most people just don’t have the time to use all of the tools you’ve shared. I know I don’t.
I visited Quora once or twice. I couldn’t get the hang of it, so I left and never returned. Maybe sometime in the future, I could check it out again.
I know plenty of people LOVE LinkedIn, but again, this is a social network I don’t dive into that often. My target audience isn’t there.
I think it’s important to know WHO is in your target audience and then continually make it a practice to visit that particular network often enough to become well-known.
Tumblr may be great for blogging, but sharing content there means less time on my personal blog. Yes, a longer reach pays off, but the time it takes to write for various networks means less time on the home base.
Stretching myself thin decreases my ability to keep the momentum going. What do you suggest I do?
- Bonnie
Hassaan Khan says
Thanks, Bonnie!
I appreciate your comment and honest views. You’re right, it’s about the target audience, no matter where you find it.
When it comes to social networks, it’s you who needs to decide where to hang out most of the time, where to meet friends and where to make new ones…
I’m happy that you understand your audience and you know how to keep them engaged!
Bonnie,
I’m with you on this. While there can be 100 ways to do something, we cannot put every tip to practice. One simply doesn’t have enough time and even if one has, it is not wise to spread oneself too thin.
We will have to find out what works for us (may be after a few trial and errors) and once we get hold of the stuff that works, we need to go deeper and master.
Building a community and trust doesn’t have to be that hard. Concentrating on 2-3 platforms will do in most cases
Thanks for sharing your honest views. I appreciate that. Have a great week.
Cheers,
Jane.
Nice Posting.
Hassaan Khan says
Thanks, Vikas!
Steven J Wilson says
Hey Jane,
Awesome post.
I really enjoyed it. I am focusing way more on conversions and totally agree with your points.
I really love case studies and haven’t done one of my own in a while even though I know they get results. More of a time issue to make a good one like Brian Dean’s.
I am doing much more A/B testing too. It’s amazing how such small changes can get some large results.
I recommend using SumoMe for their Heat Map feature as well. I really love seeing what wording I’m using that is getting people to take action.
Take care Jane!
Hey Steve,
Thanks for stopping by. Indeed, I love case studies too. But just like you I haven’t published any yet. I do A/B testing but I am not good at documenting the whole process. It just doesn’t occur to me lol.
Yes I’ve tried out SumoMes’s heat map; that’s an useful tool. THanks for pointing out
Have a great week!
Cheers,
Jane.
Hassaan Khan says
Steven,
Thank you so much for your time. I’m excited to hear that you’re doing A/B testing based experiments.
It always gives a lesson.
Thank you for your recommendation. SumoMe is a great tool. I didn’t check the heatmap feature yet. Thanks for letting us know about that.
Christy says
Hello,
Seems like you have shared some awesome tips of affiliate marketing in a single post. Well I prefer affiliate marketing less rather than other monetizing ways. Because it always fetch me less results than expected.
Thanks
Hassaan Khan says
Christy,
I’m glad you’re open and confident on saying that you prefer other monetizing methods. I love this. One has to be innovative and more importantly confident on whatever he/she has chosen to do.
Good luck!
Hi, Jane and Hassaan,
Nice to meet you! Appreciate you introducing us, Jane!
What an excellent article, and a great title too!
Yes, that’s the optimized and best way to promote affiliate products is to show why you like it and how it works for you. I’ve done videos sharing these things, and it is effective for sure.
The trust factor is real and the underlying reason people decide to buy, and I think you’re spot on.
That’s awesome that you’ve split tested and increased your conversions.
Awesome tips for examples, case studies, similar affiliate products and my favorite, personal experience.
Because the relationship is strong, credibility is a heavy persuader in the case of whether or not to try out a new affiliate product based on a personal testimony. Love it!
Thanks for sharing these tips, and I will definitely be doing more testing and also using these different methods to increase my affiliate promotion conversions.
Have a good evening.
˜Carol Amato
Hey Carol,
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Indeed creating the trust is the key to affiliate marketing. Because, in the case of affiliate marketing, people still choose to click your link to buy the product even though they know you’ll be getting a commission.
This means the trust should be stronger in the case of affiliate marketing when compared to other modes of conversion, say while signing up for a newsletter.
Sharing useful reviews and real life experiences helps a lot in this case
Thanks once again. Have a great week!
Cheers,
Jane.
Hassaan Khan says
Carol,
Thank you so much for liking my article. And no doubt, the credit goes to Jane. She was the one who appreciated my idea and liked this post.
I’m happy that my suggestions turned out to be really helpful for people out there struggling with their blogs and want to improve their conversion rate.
Good luck for your testing. I’m pretty much sure that you’ll pull this off…
Dennis Seymour says
Hi Hassan and Jane!
I used to do a lot of affiliate marketing and in the past, I never really focused on conversions. I just thought about the quantity, JV lists and all those stuff.
Then I just wanted to present a funnel and show people that it works. That’s pretty much my conversion strategy in the past LOL!
Over the years, I got a little bit smarter with how I do things and found out that some things do work better than others.
In terms of organic traffic or warm traffic, the tips mentioned above are definitely awesome
You nailed it Hassan!
You could also do a separate post about CRO (still for affiliate marketing) using email funnels or cold traffic and turning them to warm traffic.
Love the tips and it’s great that Jane had you over here
Enjoy your week guys!
Hey Dennis,
Glad you liked the post. Indeed we all get smarter over the time, don’t we?
I too realized about the importance of conversion (not just with affiliate marketing, but in general) quite late. It is not just about the quantity, but the conversion rate says a lots of other things
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences.
Have a great week!
Cheers,
Jane.
Hassaan Khan says
Dennis,
Thank you for reading my post and giving the suggestion on CRO. I will keep that in mind for a separate post.
I’m impressed you have experience in Affiliate Marketing. It’s always good to keep on testing new things, adopting the strategies and diversifying the business plans.
Keep visiting Jane’s blog, there is a lot to come in the near future.
Thank you!
Hey Jane
Hope you are well.
Affiliate marketing is one of the best earning source by internet. Nowadays most of the people buy and sell their daily necessaries by internet.
But many affiliate sellers have not enough idea to increase their earning because of the lack of tricks.
I think those affiliate seller will be success if they follow your common and unique tips.
Thank you and cheer up.
Nanda Rahmanius says
Hi Jane and Hassaan,
Glad to see you on Jane’s blog, Hassaan.
This is really informative post, indeed!
This article has an excellent format. Honestly, I do not get tired of reading the article even though it was fairly lengthy. That was my first impression when reading your article. You really did a good job.
Yes, I agree with you. I also sometimes insert an example in my article. I think, it would make my readers better understand the essence of the article.
I like your idea about similar affiliates. It was a brilliant idea.
I could not agree more with personal experience. If it is a personal experience, then potential buyers will be willing to hear our review.
Thanks for sharing Hassaan.
Have a great day for both of you, Jane and Hassaan!
~Nanda
Hey Nanda,
Thanks for stopping by and glad you liked the post. Indeed, pictures, screenshots and examples help people stay and read a long post till end. If it is all text, it can become too boring!
And Hassaan has done a great job in making the post interesting
As far as my affiliate marketing conversion goes, only recommendations based on personal experience has worked great.
Have a great week!
Cheers,
Jane.
Hassaan Khan says
Hi Nanda,
Thanks, dear!
I’m glad you liked my article. I tried to keep things helpful, useful, and yet entertaining. You know, it doesn’t matter how great your message is, it won’t be effective if it’s not presented in an attractive way.
I learned this lesson over the course of time…